


Scapegoat

by Voidspeaker (Cloudspun)



Series: Shattered Worlds [1]
Category: Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, 大神 | Okami
Genre: And Link's fighting tooth and nail against getting help, Gen, Implied/Referenced Torture, Non-Canonical Violence, Zelda's possesed again oh dear, and acting like a beaten wolf
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-22
Updated: 2016-04-21
Packaged: 2018-01-05 14:57:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 13,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1095350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cloudspun/pseuds/Voidspeaker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[Brought over and revamped from FF.net!] After the events of the Twilight War. Zelda, whom most thought would be a wise ruler, has proven to be a tyrant. Hyrule suffers under her cold, iron fist, and several of the outlying villages have sealed themselves away. The Light Spirits have hidden themselves, and darkness is looming over the dying country.<br/>Driven to protect his home, Link has been guarding Ordon during the long, dark nights; one such night brings about his capture and imprisonment, followed by exile and a threat of death should he return. He must find new allies in order to save his home once again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Capture

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Exiled, A Hero in Nippon](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/134832) by Nianti. 



Zelda scowled out at the wasteland surrounding Castle Town; rage bubbled in her heart, ignited by the thought that her subjects thought they knew better than her how to rule. She was the queen! She held Wisdom incarnate, she was blessed by the gods! How  _ dare _ they rise against her, she was doing what was right!

“Milady! We've captured one of their scouts! He's not saying much, but maybe if we-”

“Send him to the chambers. We'll see how loose his tongue is in a day." She snarled at the guard, hissing as her hand cramped again. It had been doing so for weeks, since the uprising had begun in fact. Shaking her head, the queen turned back to her balcony.

 

Midna watched, concerned, as Zelda's shadows grew darker and more wretched. The Twilit Queen had been watching her mortal counterpart carefully since Gannon had been slain and banished, and had noticed that the once-gentle Zelda was becoming more a tyrant every day. The land itself was dying under the Hyrulean Queen's harsh rule. Zelda taxed every rupee out of the people now, leaving them with barely enough food to feed themselves and little or no money to last a week. Why did the queen need these riches? Not even Midna knew, though she had suspicions. She had seen sulfurous gases wafting up over the castle, heard daily the complaints of how the city stank. Dragons were her main suspicion now, though the one dragon she had known of was a kind and gentle thing, a relic of days long past. She sighed, turning from her vision-sphere of the castle, focusing instead on one that showed the broken bridge to Faron.

“Link... Wake up, my dear. Harsh times are coming.”

* * *

 

Link scooped Rosa up onto his shoulder, laughing as she shrieked in glee. Colin laughed as well, swiftly retrieving his sister from Link's grasp.

“Unka! Unka!” Rosa laughed, baring a half-fledged smile at the two boys. Link sighed, his wry grin gentling as he lifted the little two-year-old onto his hip.

“C'mon. It's getting late, and I don't want your mother to use me as her new rug. We need to go before Ordona's bridge fades.” Link hugged the little girl, before setting her down so he could shift forms.

The pain was still something to consider, but he was used to it by this point and his wolf form had proven to be bloody useful when Epona had been with foal the year before; now he thanked Midna every dawn and dusk for leaving him the transformation gem. He crouched, letting Rosa clamber onto his back, then stood straight again. Colin made sure the little girl was holding tight, before nodding and taking off at a run. Link took off after the boy, matching Colin's sprint with his own easy lope; they made it back to the bridge just as the sun was setting.

Link perked his ears up, turning to look back towards the woods; he swore he could hear horses. He whined at Colin, gently pushing the boy forward onto the bridge.

"Soldiers?" Colin asked quietly. Link nodded, letting Colin take his little sister and hurry home. He turned, guarding the bridge as he watched for the horsemen.

"Link, come on!"

The Hero of Twilight turned, sprinting across the bridge as it began to fade. He heard the horses getting closer, and herded the children away from the gorge.

He shifted back before they got to the town entrance, after they passed Ordona's spring. Carrying Rosa on his shoulders, he walked confidently into Ordon, nodding to Pergie as she walked past to take up the watch near the broken bridge.

"Any sign of soldiers?" The massive woman asked. Link nodded.

"I heard horses approaching from the north-east… I brought Colin and Rosa straight back, I wasn't sure if they were soldiers and there wasn't any wind to catch a scent. Didn't want to risk it." He said. Pergie nodded.

"Thank you for the warning, then. When's your shift?"

"Midnight to quarter-moon." Link suppressed a groan; for some reason he always got the so-called graveyard shift, and it was starting to interfere with his work on the ranch.

"Ouch… go get some food and rest, then. Something tells me you're going to need it tonight."

* * *

 

Link sat on his paws, watching in the faint moonlight as foreign shadows paced back and forth on the other side of the gorge. They stank of Moblins, the grotesque brutish thugs Zelda had taken to sending out in place of soldiers; if there was a moblin raid, it was an even bigger excuse she could use to tax the life out of the land, using the rupees for goddesses-knew-what. It made Link's hackles rise just thinking of it. He'd worked his fingers to the bone, risking life, limb, and everything he loved to save this land, now the queen he'd so blindly trusted was destroying it. What few sacred places were left were sealed off, now; the Goron tribe had, by Renado's request, sealed off all entrances to Karkariko Village. The Zora had sealed off their kingdom, and from what Ordona had told him Lanayru had sealed her spring off from the intruding darkness Zelda brought upon Hyrule.

A sharp  _ thud _ snapped him out of his thoughts. Above and to his left, he saw an arrow buried feathers-deep into a tree, with a rope attached to its end. Alarmed, he launched at the rope, biting, tearing, and rending it from the tree. He heard an alarmed, frustrated squeal from the twisted figures across the gorge, but did not pay heed. Instead, he lept back into the darkness of the treeline, threw his head up and unleashed a loud, keening howl, knowing at least one villager would hear and raise the alarm.

The peals of the alarm bells were the last thing he remembered, before a sharp pain burst underneath his right shoulder blade and darkness took him.

* * *

He woke in a sickeningly familiar place; the castle dungeons closed around him, shining and clearly in good repair. He rose to his knees from the cold mat he'd been laid out on, wincing as pain jarred through his right side, and inspected the torchlit stone cage he'd been put in. Dusk shone in from down the hall, giving him some sense of time.

"Of course she'd place me here… you challenge me to escape again, princess?" He growled out, turning his gaze to the shadows from whence her chokingly sweet scent wafted.

"I remind you that it was by my grace you escaped the first time, dog. You are guilty of treason-"

"Treason?" Link laughed harshly. "I saved this land,  _ princess _ , if any could be called treasonous, traitor, or any such ilk it would be you. I trusted this land back into your hand, and you've destroyed it."

"Shut up!" Zelda shrieked, making him flinch; goddesses, did her voice have to be so  _ high _ when she screeched? "I do what is best, while people like  _ you  _ try to rip the land out from under my hand! You could never understand what I do, and I prefered your silence to your blasphemy!"

A blast of air hit him in the throat, choking him suddenly. He coughed, buckling as pain tore down into his lungs and through his chest. Gasping, he tried to snarl at her.

Only a guttering hiss escaped his curled lips. He felt the blood leave his face, fear doubtlessly twisting his visage even more into a beastly version of himself.

"I have power you could not believe, so-called Hero of Twilight. I could have you put to death, and the people would do nothing. I could twist you into a beast from your nightmares, or even turn you into a monster for my own amusement. But why waste my power? Why incite the rebels to flee with what is rightfully mine? I can easily banish you, even more easily curse you that you could ne'er return. That, methinks, would be the most appropriate punishment for such an unruly rebel as you."

In that moment, Link saw what was truly ruling Hyrule, instead of seeing the puppet that his friend had become. A dragon smiled at him, yellow eyes gleaming from beneath caked makeup meant to hide Zelda's thinning features.

The Hero was, in a rare occurrence of his existence, truly afraid.

"Dream sweet, little wolf. Tomorrow you leave this land forever." The monster hiding behind Zelda's face hissed. She turned, sweeping up the dungeon steps and leaving Link cowed in his cell.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anticipation and fear prove to chase sleep away. A long trek with a freezing end - Is this the doom of the Twilit Hero, or does he have a new friend?  
> {I was unable to think of a proper summary; my apologies.}

Morning found Link pacing back and forth, hyper-aware of his surroundings and completely on edge. His voice had not returned yet, but this did not concern him as much as the scents permeating the dungeon; he could smell the rot and sulfur, and knew that the dragon itself was likely less than a hundred feet beneath the castle.

He heard footsteps coming from beyond the door to his cell-block, and bared his teeth in a snarl.

Whispers flowed into his cell, speaking a language he barely recognized and had no hope of understanding in his current state. The scent that accompanied the whispers did get through, though, and he stopped pacing to stare at the visitor.

She was clothed differently than when he'd last seen her; instead of the Twili dress she'd worn, she was dressed in leather breeches and a soft gray tunic. She still moved gracefully, like a hawk in flight. Link tried to greet her, but the hiss that left his lips reminded him. He scowled, turning away.

"Hello to you too, Pup."

Her voice lacked the laughter he'd grown so used to. Of course, it had been years since he'd seen her last, how could he expect her to be the same?

"I came to sit with you until… well, until it's over."

His stomach dropped.

\---

They sat for a long time. Midna filled him in on the other holdouts, how Karkariko was actually doing very well with the Gorons' aid, how Ordon was building its supplies for the winter. She told him about the courts in the Twilight realm, how she had freed her people to think as they pleased and how they had chosen for her to remain queen. She was careful only to make statements or ask yes-no questions; Link was grateful for that, at least. He was glad for a friendly companion for the time up until…

The door to the cell block clanged open, startling them both.

"I'll be right next to you, Link; no matter what happens, I'll go as far as I can right by your side." Midna whispered as she vanished. Link nodded, still able to smell the spice that identified her. He rose, letting emptiness fill him and seep out of his expression. The guards winced under his gaze.

"I… I'm sorry, hero. Would that it did not have to be this way, but she has our families under constant watch and will kill them if we do not obey her."

Link nodded, letting the two silent guards bind his hands behind his back as the apologetic one released him from the shackles placed around his ankles. Steeling himself, the Hero of Twilight let himself be led from the cell, to what he feared would be his doom.

* * *

 

Link glared at Zelda, his back aching from the new scars adorning it. She had insisted on branding the curse into his skin, marking him a dead man should he return to Hyrule after leaving. They would take him up to the frozen mountains, skirting the now-hostile Zora kingdom and trudging up to the border. Supposedly, there was a bridge he would take to whatever alien lands awaited beyond the frozen wastes.

He still hadn't regained his voice; he would've likely broken it anyway, with the amount of pain he'd been put through.

Midna was still there; he could feel her hand on his shoulder. He prayed to whatever deities would hear him, that she wouldn't be discovered and cursed as he had been.

The queen's words rang through the hall, sickened nothings that he refused to hear. He felt the ground shake as guards and goblins alike struck the floor with the butt of their spears, a sign of unanimous approval.

Link fell back to his own disciplines, mentally chanting the mantras the Golden Wolf had taught him. His awareness shrank to the sole contact with Midna, even losing that after a time (he suspected she had hidden in his shadow again). He swore he could see those ancient red eyes again, could hear the old spirit's voice. He left his body on autopilot as he submerged himself in memories.

Ice under his feet brought him back to reality with a snap. His back felt as if it had been lashed into ribbons; he vaguely remembered being driven alongside a small handful of other captives, most of whom had collapsed and died on the way.

What he could tell was that he was the only one standing on the icy cliff's edge.

"They said there was a path!" Link thought, turning a confused expression to Zelda.

"Well, go on then! Over the edge with you!"

One of the Moblins caught Link in the stomach with the butt of its spear; his feet slipped, and despite the curse of silence he let out a yelp. He felt the edge through the soles of his boots, then…

Nothing. He was falling, reaching for whatever might have kept him there on the cliff, only to find it wasn't there anymore. Below, he saw a frozen sea getting closer, closer…

An instinct he hadn't realized he had kicked in. He pivoted so that he was falling feet-first, arms extended above him. Provided that the ice wasn't incredibly thick and that it was sufficiently deep, he wouldn't completely break himself on impact. He closed his eyes.

There was a sudden jarring in his legs, chased by sharp pain and freezing cold as water surrounded him. He felt a current grab him, pulling him away from the hole he'd just broken.

Panicking, he struck out, trying to grab the edge of the ice and pull himself back out; his fingertips barely missing the edge.

He swore he heard a scream as he struggled. The ice was relatively thin; if he'd only had his dagger he could have-

A massive arm wrapped around his stomach, pulling him up to a brilliant sky that blinded him. Link coughed, head spinning, and blacked out.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Insert witty summary about Link waking up and meeting Oki here]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's been so long; I've been dealing with real-life situations (college and boyfriend and responsibility, oh my!), and I've had massive writer's block on most of my stories as of late. Managed to fight with this one enough to get the chapter done, though.  
> Now, let's see if I can't get the words to virtual paper for the rest of the planned section of my story.

Link woke to a bright fire and pervading stiffness that kept him from moving more than a few centimeters at a time; he could see a figure on the other side of the fire, but his mind was clouded and it hurt to think.

He vaguely heard words being spoken, but didn't understand them; he recognized Midna's chirp-silk voice, but the other was darker, rumbling, like a beast of some kind growling. He tried to sit up, but was stopped by a calloused hand and a low warning growl.

"Link, it's ok. You're safe, but you're hurt. Sleep a while longer."   
He'd just woken up, but Midna's last words sounded suspiciously like a spell.

With no chance to fully grasp that thought, he fell back into a healing sleep.

* * *

He woke again much later. How long it had been, he had no idea, but he didn't hurt and his thoughts were relatively clear.

"Welcome back to the land of the living."

He looked up, and saw a masked figure with a red-streaked blue mane. Blinking, he looked to his left, and saw Midna leaning against the wall of the room.

"She sleeps. I've never seen magic like hers, but she explained everything. My name is Okikurumi. Call me Oki. You're in Kamui, the frozen north of the land known as Nippon. You've still got the silence-spell on you, she wasn't able to remove it. She said she thinks it will fade with time, and she has said she must leave for a time once you're back on your feet. Something about her kingdom needing her until she can locate a suitable king to rule when she isn't there." Oki sighed, rolling back on his heels. Link nodded after a moment, then tried sitting up; Oki put a hand on his chest, stopping him.

"Slowly, friend. You've been down for about a week now; sitting up too quickly  _ will  _ make you sick."

Link nodded again.

It took him all of forty minutes to sit up without his head spinning; thankfully, he didn't throw up.

"I've been able to get some broth into you in the mornings up until now, so… whatever sickness you would've caught is no longer an issue." Oki muttered, before shoving a bowl of steaming food into the Hylian's hands. Link nodded again, silently wishing he could thank the man.

* * *

He was walking within a few weeks, much to Oki's amusement and Midna's relief. Link didn't care for the snow so much, but he was able to limp around the hut a bit instead of just sitting by the fire. He still slept most of the day, or huddled near the fire and away from the seeping cold. It felt like he had a head-cold along with the cracked bones and slow-healing scars he'd gained.

 

"Do you think you'll be ok on your own? My people need me for now, but I should be able to be back within a month or two." Midna pressed one morning; Link made a shooing motion towards her, nodding.

"Alright. Oki, thank you for your hospitality; once I return we should be able to find our own way." The Twili queen bowed her head to the ragged warrior, who grunted in reply. Midna turned and swept out of the hut after that, leaving the two males shivering from the blast of cold air.

 

There was a good half-hour of silence after that. Oki was focused on stitching up a tear in his vest, while Link fidgeted with the ends of the bandages on his left hand.

"The mark on your hand… it's got some form of symbolism, right?" Oki asked out of the blue. Link looked up and nodded.

"Can you read and write? Maybe we can at least have some form of communication."

Link would've laughed. Since everyone had assumed he'd become the next leader of Ordon, he'd been taught to read and write from an early age; he nodded to Oki, who walked over to the baskets at the back of the hut and pulled out a scroll of parchment, a brush, and a pot of what could only be ink. The warrior sat back down on the mat, then carefully unrolled the blank parchment, opened the bottle of ink, and dipped the pen in it.He motioned Link over.

"Just to make sure we can read each other's writing, in case that of your homeland is different from the ones I'm familiar with…" He painted a symbol; Link recognized it almost immediately as a modified version of the word "fire". He pointed to the firepit at the center of the hut before Oki could speak, then held his hand out and silently asked for the brush. Oki handed it to him wordlessly.

He wrote 'freezing water is terrifying' in Hylian script, next to Oki's symbol.

"And so it should be to you, particularly if I had to steal you from it like a scrap of food from a demon." Oki's grin was just visible beneath the mask. "Seems communication won't be as much of a problem as I thought."

Link nodded, a hint of a smile ghosting his features.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Link can read and write; in Twilight Princess (and every game before and after that had signs) you had no problems reading the roadsigns and messages given to you. It's not much of a stretch to think that he can write, too. Also, if I recall correctly before the game begins, Link was set up to be Bo's replacement as Mayor of Ordon. So, another reason for him to be able to read and write proficiently.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Initiations are always fun.

It took longer than he would've liked, but Link was fully on his feet again after a few months. Once he was able, Oki had him catch a living buck to present to the elders of the Onia tribe.

"I say a buck because that is how they will know that I am acting as your sponsor until such time as you are able to stand on your own." The warrior explained, offering a thin rope. "It's been a lean winter, so it will be harder for you. Make use of your beast form if you are able, but do no harm to the animal if you can help it. Avoid Yoshpet and the sea, and stay away from the World-Tree. I cannot help you catch the deer, but when we go before the council I will do the necessary talking. Understood?"

Link nodded, taking the cord and attaching it to his belt. The clothes Oki had given him still fit a little loosely, but he was also a bit underweight; they would fit in time.

"Be safe, my young friend, and good hunting. I will meet you outside of the village." Oki rumbled, shooing him out into the still, cold winter.

The silence was unnerving. That struck him first, after he blinked away the snow-blindness. He couldn't hear any birds, and there wasn't any wind (which he was thankful for; it would make his life harder and make the hunting more difficult.). He willed himself into his wolf-form, and took off across the snow, not noticing that his gate was longer and his view was from higher-up.

* * *

 

It took him three hours to find a herd of deer, and two more to shift and get close enough to touch them. He didn't go for the largest buck, choosing one of the smaller ones instead; he didn't want the elders thinking he was presumptuous, and the bigger male had a better chance of protecting the herd. They were calmer than normal, some even looking him straight in the eye as he approached his target. Link almost started to tie a lead around the neck of the deer, but stopped and listened a moment instead.

There was a quiet tintinnabulation in the air, similar to what he'd heard in the Goddesses' temple the one time he'd been able to visit it. The deer he'd been stalking looked up at him with trusting, baleful eyes; Link looped the rope back up, tying it back to his belt, and held up his hands.

' _ Whatever deity you may be, I am not familiar with you or your requirements. I can tell you hold this place sacred, and I apologise for disturbing it. I will take my leave and hunt elsewhere, and I thank you for allowing me this awe-inspiring sight. _ " he said mentally, remembering that Oki had mentioned the deities in Nippon were aware of nearby mortals' thoughts.

**_Take your prize, young one. You have worked for it and earned it. We are fellow hunters, you and I, and I respect your wisdom. Take this one and present him to the Elders with Amaterasu's blessing._ **

The voice was full of fire and warmth, almost motherly and yet commanding. Link hesitated, then nodded. He took the rope and made a makeshift bridle of it, then gently fit it over the deer's head, leading the oddly-passive creature back away from the herd and towards where Oki had said the village was.

* * *

 

Oki gave him a massive smile as he approached, the still-calm deer at his side.

"That's the finest buck I've ever seen! And not a mark on him, from what I can tell. How did you…" He trailed off, red eyes focusing on something behind Link for a moment.

"Nevermind. Come. The chieftain and the elders await." Oki took the now-nervous deer's lead, guiding both the buck and the boy up through the village.

Link only noticed the black eyes that followed them when he and Oki were winding over the cliffs. He could see dark eyes, and there was a faint red flash as the creature vanished in the snow. Dismissing the vision as one of the other villagers, Link turned and focused on the path ahead of them.

 

"Oki. You bring an outsider before us… he has our gift? He has the beast-blood?" The younger of the two elders demanded. Oki turned to Link, and nodded.

Link took a breath, then shifted as he exhaled.

He felt taller. Odder. Like something about him had changed.

"Well, now. I haven't seen a moon-child in an age or two, and one with our gift is even rarer. Of course, I did not expect you to be so gangly, young one. What is your name? Shift back, and tell us." The rough-looking chieftain rumbled.

"Samickle, I… he cannot speak. He was driven out of his home, and was brought to me injured. He can read and write, of course, but we have agreed that I should speak for him. His name is Link, he is a refugee from the realm of Hyrule, the country that borders so closely with our own by the sea. He is one of the gods-blessed, yes, but he is also only mortal. If we turn him out, as I must if you refuse him, I will be taking my leave to guide him to the southern country." Oki interceded. Samickle glared at him, then turned a heavy gaze onto Link.

"Is this true?" He asked quietly. Link nodded as he shifted back, grateful (for once) that he could not communicate his emotions through ears and a tail in his human form.

"Then how can we turn you out? If the gods have sent you here, then here you should remain. When Amaterasu graces us with Spring again, as she does every year, we shall find you a place to dwell. For now, we shall follow through with the induction ritual, and one of our craftsmen will fashion a mask for you. Fair enough, Samickle?" The white-maned elder offered. Samickle sighed, and nodded. The chieftain took the deer (which had been standing in a corner with its ears back), and guided it out through a doorway in the back of the hut; the elders followed, along with Oki and Link. Link hung back at the rear of the procession, minding his instinct to take up the Omega's place because of his status as an outsider.

* * *

 

They made their way down to a frozen lake, where a sword in a stone was enshrined and a path wound up to what appeared to be an ancient temple. The area hummed with energy, some of it dark and some of it light. Link looked out through the blinding white, and saw a dark patch where the ice had been broken and black water rippled with the wind. Samickle stepped forward, wrapped his hands around the sword-hilt, and fluidly pulled the blade from its resting-place. He turned, and the sudden silver glow blinded link even more than the snow. He handed the sword to Oki, who turned and struck like lightning, past Link and at the deer.

Link forced himself not to flinch, as the blade barely stung his cheek. The buck made an alarmed bugle, and dove away from the group, now free of its halter and dashing across the snow.

A howl sounded from the mountaintops, and a suddenly-warm wind rolled down from Ezofuji. Link saw the Onia smile beneath their masks, and Samickle turned to face him.

"Come. Take Kutone, she shall judge your character." The chieftain flipped the sword in his hand, offering its hilt to Link. Link took a steadying breath, gingerly taking the sword in hand; it was long enough, he had to use both hands to balance it.

The glow instantly became painfully bright, and he closed his eyes. His left hand tingled where the Goddesses' mark lay hidden, but he didn't open his eyes again. He heard the elders yelp in surprise, and felt someone pry the sword from his hands.

The glow faded again, becoming a soft fire instead of the brilliant flash it had been. Link opened his eyes, blinking the stars away and glancing at the others. Oki was gently returning Kutone to its shrine, while the others were staring at him, mouths agape.

"Now, we all wish you had your voice; I'm sure you've quite the tales to tell, my friend." The swordsman murmured, giving him a knowing look. Link nodded, then tucked his hands behind his back and bowed his head.

"I'll go alert the maskmaker. You, my friend… You are gods-blessed. I would suggest you take a mask made after Itegami, the Ox, but that seems a bit showy for you. I… what are you doing?"

Link turned as the chieftain spoke, took a small branch, and wrote in the snow:

"If it is permissible, I would ask for a specific mask, designed after one one of my forefathers owned."

Oki winced behind him, but the elder tugged on his beard in thought.

"I think that could be arranged, yes… Come. Show myself and the maskmaker what you had in mind, and we will see what can be done."

Link nodded, stepping back to let the elder by, then following when the old one gestured.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cameo by Amaterasu!
> 
> You'll see more of her later, I promise.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter the Sun Goddess.  
> Oh, hey, Link can talk again! Pity all he really has to talk about is sadness...

Link stood among the Onia, watching as Lika prayed before Kutone's altar. He could smell the sulfur in the air, could almost hear the silver bells he'd heard before. Behind his mask (designed after the armor his ancient teacher had worn), his expression was one of great concentration; he had been exploring the reaches of Kamui, even up into Yoshpet, and he had found a place that soothed his soul within the dark forest. He had asked the elder if the place would be suitable, and had been given permission to dwell there-

With the caveat that he ask the gods' blessing on the clearing, and on his building a home.

Now, he awaited the eruption of Ezofuji's twin peaks, that he might ask the Sun Goddess for her blessing.

 

Lika bounded up out of her meditation and chanting, and as she reached the apex of her leap the mountains exploded with fire and light. The little girl stepped aside, and he was motioned forward.

"I know you cannot speak, young one. But, the curse has waned enough that you can sing. Let the gods hear your song, let them hear your prayer. Lika, Tuskle, and I will remain to bear witness to the result; the others must return to their homes and prepare for spring hunting." Kemu muttered.

Link nodded, shifting to his second form with practiced ease. He approached the altar, head bowed and tail down in respect; With his front claws nearly touching the ice of the lake, he lifted his head and let a single long note rise from his throat to the heavens.

 

He didn't expect the answering howl, nor (apparently) did the elders.

 

A sudden burst of magic wrapped around him like a blanket, easing him back into his true form. He blinked at the suddenly blinding light, squinting and shielding his face to try and see its source. After a few minutes, he saw a magnificent white wolf with red markings, a burning mirror hovering above her back. She stood at the central edge of the ice, cloaked with a radiance even the sun could not rival; after a moment he had to look away and blink the spots from his eyes.

"Lady Amaterasu!" Tuskle whispered, awe apparent in her voice.

A tinkling laugh echoed over them, drawing Link to look back at the wolf-goddess-

_ Who had taken a human form _ .

"So this is the boy to whom I gave my blessing. You certainly don't look like most Onia…" The white-haired goddess chuckled, as her brilliance diminished to a reasonable level. "Come, tell me your name."

Link winced, hung his head, and backed away. Amaterasu gave him a confused look.

"The boy cannot speak, my lady. He was cursed before being sent here; Oki was under the impression that it would fade after some time, and for his wolf it has, but it will not release him fully." Kemu explained.

"Oh, is that all?" Amaterasu laughed gently, turning her gaze back onto Link. He nodded, apparently prompting her to laugh again. "Well, I'll fix that while I'm here, then!"

Link blinked, startled.

It had been about three hours since the sun goddess' arrival in Kamui; she had visited every member of the tribe (including those who lived outside the village), had entered Yoshpet to locate the Poncle village (Oki had to explain to him just  _ what _ a poncle was, even though he'd run by the wooden stump several times), and finally had paid her respects to the massive World tree.

Her rounds made (and with a bouncing green fairy perched on her shoulder), Amaterasu summoned Link to the central area outside of Oki's home some time around mid-afternoon.

"This will feel strange. I have to unravel the magic cloaking you to find the curse and remove it; once that is done, I will put everything back the way it was. Alright?" She asked, piercing yellow eyes holding his. Link nodded, bracing himself.

It was an odd sensation; it felt as if the still-chilly wind was whipping directly through him, as though he were nothing but air himself.

"There we are…" A pulling sensation; he thought of a single thread being pulled from the middle of a piece of cloth.

The sensations faded. Link opened his eyes, and found the world bathed in twilight.

"How…-!" he whispered, before clapping his hands over his mouth in shock. Amaterasu laughed.

"Now, oh mysterious outsider, tell me your name. Where do you come from, and how is it that you have the gift of the Onia without being Onia?" She prompted. Link swallowed.

"I…. I am Link, milady. I hail from Ordon, the southernmost province of Hyrule. As for the gift… that is a long tale that I'm not sure you wish to hear. It was originally a curse, to be honest… however, when such a curse can be used at will to benefit those around me…"

"It isn't a curse anymore. I understand." She smiled. "Your mental voice was a bit deeper when I heard you during your hunt… and I believe you were wishing to ask my blessing on something?"

Link nodded. "There is a clearing within Yoshpet that has an aura of peace instead of the overwhelming gloom. Elder Kemu said I must ask the gods' blessing on the place, and on my building a home there. Is this acceptable?"

Amaterasu gave him a scrutinizing look. "Show me."

* * *

 

Link hesitated just outside of the forest, tracing the route in his mind. Then, making sure Amaterasu was still following, he took off at a long-strided lope. The ground flew under his paws, as he dodged cursed trees and thorns. He paused at Ponc'tan, taking a moment to catch his breath, before taking off into the wilds of the woods, along a thin and winding game-trail. He heard Issun's yelp, heard Ammy (as the Poncle called her) racing to keep up and yipping at him, but he focused on the path under his paws.

 

He knew the clearing when he found it. The air  _ smelled _ clear; the forest was actually green, and the ground was cool beneath his paws.

"Wow… I didn't know there was such a peaceful place here in Yoshpet…" Issun muttered; Link nodded, taking his original form.

"It… it reminded me of the sacred springs in Hyrule; they were safe places, even after the war broke out. It's the closest I can get to feeling like I'm home." He murmured.

Amaterasu approached and leaned against his leg, whining softly. Link sighed, kneeling and, after getting a confirming nod from her, scratched her ears gently.

**_"...War?"_ ** She asked, giving him a curious look.

"...yes. War. It's torn the land apart; people were dying in droves, until they figured out how to seal themselves away. Most who were trapped in the capitol were starving, last I heard. Ordon and Faron were separated from the rest of the country by a massive canyon; no one really knows what's at the bottom, and most don't care to try the sheer walls to find out. There was a man made bridge, but after the war started I and a few other people tore it down to keep raiders out. After that, well… the regional spirit, Ordona, would erect a light-bridge at dawn and dusk for those who had to enter the mainland." He sighed, shaking his head at the thoughts. "I hope everyone is doing alright without me."

Amaterasu didn't respond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can picture Link as one of those who doesn't talk unless he absolutely has to.  
> Also, he isn't green-wolfy in Nippon. Being built for the southern reaches, I picture him as a Maned Wolf (looks like a fox on stilts).  
> And yes, Ammy does have her pup running around somewhere. Don't ask where. I don't know and Link won't tell me.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mostly drivel right now, setup for the next few chapters.  
> Woo worldbuilding woo- oh hi Ammy. And Waka!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reworked the ending of the chapter. It wasn't working for me.  
> I'll be reworking the following chapters as well, and continuing the story from there.

The wind sighed through the trees as Link set the last stone of his doorway in place. The hut was small (or it appeared as such), but it was made to the best of his ability. Amaterasu had blessed the place a week prior, and had spent the first day of spring cleaning out some of the cursed trees leading along the main path of Yoshpet. The forest was still dark, of course, but it was less so than it had been.

Murmuring aimlesly to himself, the Hylian ducked into his home. The soft glow from the fire-pit provided enough light for him to see by, and a bluish light emanated from the corner where his spirit lantern sat. He carefully laid a bamboo mat over the opening, making a point of pinning the back corners against the wall. Turning, he inspected his home.

The fire glowed in one corner, heat reflecting outward into the rest of the hut. His bedding was piled in a nest next to the fire-pit, and a small partition separated that area from the section of his home where he would dry and keep his food. The rest was rather spartan; he had little more than the basic mats for his floor, and he didn't have the materials for a forge yet; even then, the metalworks would sit in a stone arbor by the pond.

A peal of soft laughter out in the clearing caught his attention; he turned, hand falling to rest on the whalebone dagger Kai (Lika's sister and Oki's sweetheart, though Oki himself wouldn't admit it) had given to him the day after the elders accepted him.

"Mon cherie, you are sure he will like this? He did not sound like the type from how you described him…" A male voice commented. Link paused and listened for the reply.

"I saw some of his memories, Waka. I didn't mean to, but they passed through my awareness when I was removing the curse. He will appreciate it, and it'll benefit everyone in Kamui." Amaterasu responded, her voice losing its laughing edge.

Link sighed, and pulled open the thick mat that served as his door.

 

Amaterasu and a tall, blond man wearing a bird-cap stood in the clearing, a floating bundle behind them. Link bowed to Amaterasu, turning to inspect the man whom he didn't recognize.

"Link, this is Captain Ushiwaka. He is a prophet, and is one of the last members of the Moon Tribe. He is a very dear friend-" She paused as Link raised a hand to interrupt her.

"Milady…" (That word tasted so bitter on his tongue, but he ignored it. This was Amaterasu, not… someone else) "Forgive my bluntness, but please don't lie or make light of something so serious as a relationship between two entities. Who am I to judge whom you enter courtship with? It's obvious in your stance and in the way you speak, even as the Sun Goddess and All-mother." He kept his voice soft, remembering when Illia had chosen another and had come to tell him only when Rusl forced her. He turned to the so-called prophet. "Captain, it is an honor to meet one whom Lady Amaterasu holds in such high regard. I have heard of you, though I was unsure if it were merely rumors or if they were true." He bowed, low enough to be respectful but not as low as he had to Amaterasu. He saw Ushiwaka bow in return.

"It's a pleasure. Now, that that's out of the way, can we all please drop the formality? Please call me Waka, everyone else does. And everyone has a nickname for Amaterasu, even I do." The Captain's voice took a pleading tone, and Link sighed.

"Forgive me, Captain Waka. I do not relax so easily when I am unfamiliar with people and places." He paused, hearing the wind snap in the branches above and listening, for once, to the voice of courtesy in his mind. "But… why are we just standing out here? Please, come inside. I don't have much, but what is mine is yours." Link turned, opening the door again and motioning for them to enter.

"Ah! That will… if we may… Link, we've brought you a house-warming gift. I knew you were looking for the various pieces of a forge, so Waka took the liberty of bringing them all for you." Amaterasu beamed at him, but Link froze for a moment.

"I…. many thank yous, my lady… I've a place, but I need to be allowed to set the pieces as they should go in my own time. If you would, just set them there." He indicated the clear space by the pond (which he intended to fill with koi once he could make it to the imperial city). Waka nodded, gesturing toward it. The floating pieces hovered over, then gently dropped to the ground.   
"I wish we could stay; however, Ammy and I are needed to the south, in Kamiki Village. We were merely bring this by while we were in Kamui." Waka smiled, gently tugging on Amaterasu's shoulder. Link nodded with a (forced) smile, and bowed low to them both.

Once the two immortals had left, he went over and examined the forge pieces that they had left. Every piece he knew, save an odd piece that looked like it was meant to channel exceedingly hot flames; that one, as well as the helmet that went with it, he set aside to ask about at another time. He returned to the stones he'd used as his foundation, and began lugging them back to his home. Link knew it would've been easier to ask for Waka's aide, or Amaterasu's, but… sharp images of the individual he'd trusted before snapped in his mind. He couldn't bring himself to ask strangers, when he wouldn't even trust  _ Oki _ . There were reasons he'd built his home in a forbidden forest.

 

Link only realized how much time he'd spent when the headaches came, as he considered lighting the pilot-flame in the belly of the forge; night had come and gone, and day had almost completely slipped away again. He cursed his negligence, rose, and strode quickly into the entrance to his home and bound the door closed. A soft knock and a familiar voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Link? Link, it's Midna. Please, open the door."

The voice was like the imp he knew.  _ Too much _ like her. But, Midna would come and go as she wanted. She wouldn't knock.

Link drew his dagger soundlessly, eyes narrowed and teeth bared in a snarl.

_ The Queen of the Twilight does as she pleases. Besides, she would not ask permission to enter my home. _

A dark chuckle rippled from his door, and the tight-woven mat bulged inward. A brilliant golden light flashed, blinding him and making the entity shriek.

Link cursed voraciously, as the world went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhanger.  
> Don't kill me.  
> Please.  
> It was a good breaking point.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A meeting of the Heroes has been called.

_ For a moment, Link couldn't see. Everything was white, blinding, like new snow. _

**_I wondered when you would find me again, Hero._ **

_ He whirled, reaching over his shoulder- _

**_You are unarmed and safe. Calm yourself._ **

_ He found no sword hilt. He noticed, then, that he was clothed only in soft white pants, nothing more. Feeling exposed, he crouched down and hunched over, glancing around and feeling as though he had been caged. _

_ He blinked again, and found himself on an island floating amidst a field of stars. He was in the traditional Hero's Garb, though in a simpler style than his iteration had been. It was a soft, lightweight green tunic and the same soft white pants, with his old cap settled on his head and a pair of worn boots on his feet. _

_ He looked up from inspecting himself, and saw a group of twelve individuals approaching, all garbed in green. Their leader wore a crimson scarf along with his uniform. _

_ Link began to notice, then, that each had some minor difference that stood out among his fellows. To the leader's right, one Hero (he realized, now. These were all the heros that had gone before him, or who had lived in a divergent timeline.) wore soft blues and close-fitting garb. To the Leader's right, another wore a sleeveless tunic with a brown long-sleeved undershirt. _

_ He blinked, and felt the weight of chainmail on his shoulders. he was once again the Hero of Twilight, and he knew who each of them was. The Hero's Spirit, the founder of their line, still held that slight pride and the bitter rage in his pose. The Hero of Sky walked mournfully, as though something important had been lost to him. The Hero of Legend walked as if he actually feared something flanking them. _

_ One by one, the Hero of Twilight saw his forefathers' broken states. He avoided their direct gazes (particularly the Spirit's, his made Link tremble in his boots.), and didn't look for the one whom he had long wanted to meet, until the last moment. _

_ What he saw caused him enough pain to nearly drive him to his knees. _

_ His teacher, his ancestor (his father, perhaps?), with shoulders hunched and expression flooded by shame. The Hero of Time, weathered by a long life spent mostly alone, would not meet his gaze. _

_ The group of shades surrounded the Hero of Twilight, some fading a bit while others became more solid. The Spirit stepped forward first, and took Link by the shoulders. _

_ "You have suffered unduly, savior of Twilight. And as you have suffered, so have we all. The goddess Hylia has been forgotten, and the land she loved has been desecrated." _

_ The Hero paused, biting his lip and seemingly trying to find words. _

_ "I cannot begin to express the outrage I feel concerning what has happened to you, boy. None of us can save one, I believe. But, while much has been lost, we can yet save Hyrule. Know that I will aid you however I may, in this." _

_ He stepped away, and the others repeated his vow, save the hero of Time. _

_ Link looked closely at his ancestor, ignoring the man's scarred visage and missing right eye. Time (Link thought to call them by their titles, so as not to confuse them all) gave a great, mournful sigh. _

_ "My boy… would that your life had not turned like this. You have already won your war, and I cannot name the one who has possessed the Queen, though we all know him. You were unaware of this, but you hold within you not only the Triforce of Courage, but that also of Power and Wisdom. Power, you took from Ganondorf when you defeated him. Wisdom was forfeit to you when Zelda turned against Hyrule." Time rasped. He seemed ancient, suddenly, his remaining eye clenched closed against tears and his face worn by exhaustion. "I cannot teach you more than I already have; the gods know that you have surpassed my skill in your short lifetime. However, I can give you a gift, one that the others are not in a position to give." _

_ Link noticed, then, that the other spirits had disappeared. Time grasped his shoulder, drawing his gaze again. _

_ "I built the shrine in which you will wake. I left Hyrule when my curse, my spirit would not give me rest, taking the northernmost roads out of my homeland and to places unknown to me. Beneath the feet of each statue within the shrine, there lies a gift, entombed to protect it from time and darkness. Take them with my blessing, and drive out the demon that possesses Hyrule." _

_ "But… Master, I am but one man, one boy even. Who am I t-" _

_ "Hylia protects a device that will allow you to call upon one or all of us. You do not stand alone in this, my son. Now, go. Your friends worry about you." _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Resolving cliffhanger. This is likely gonna be the chapter everyone hates; it even confused me, so don't be afraid to express your disdain.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uh-oh... keeping secrets from friends can lead to trouble.  
> Gifts from your forefathers are one thing, but there's one gift that Link wasn't quite sure he wanted, with good reason.

When Link came to, he was flat on his back in an underground chamber that was filled with soft light. Oki knelt on his left side, and Midna (the real Midna this time, not whatever the demonic force was that had mimicked her).

"What happened?" Oki asked calmly. Hesitating a moment, Link sat up and recounted the interaction with the demon, but said nothing of the vision. Midna tapped him on the shoulder.

"You dreamwalked. No creature, demon or otherwise, can intrude on your home as it did. We followed your tracks from the outskirts of the forest." She murmured.

"Why your dreams brought you here, I don't know. I've run the entirety of Kamui, and even when there is next to no snow on the ground there is nothing here but a massive oak tree." Oki cut in. Link nodded, bowing his head forward a touch to ward off another headache.

"Does anyone else know? And what of my home?" He asked, voice low.

"Your home is as you left it. The forge is halfway assembled and it looked like you left the door open and fell asleep over the anvil." Midna retorted with a soft cackle.

Oki shook his head, sighing. "No-one but us even knows you left your home. Now that we have found you, perhaps we should return before anyone is the wiser of it."

Link nodded, biting off the reply that bubbled into his head. He felt a scathing look from Midna; she'd heard it, even so.

_ It's not as if I'm going to be staying long. _

 

Three weeks later, he finished binding the seventh sword to its pommel. Seven blades of the finest steel he could find, each meant for the hand of a specific person. The first was for Rusl, the second for his son Colin. The third and fourth were meant for the leaders of the other villages. The fifth was meant for the Princeling of the Zora, and the sixth was designed for Zelda    
(provided his hunch was correct, and the puppet he'd seen was not truly her). The last was his own, an oddly ornate blade that looked like a braid of blue, green, and gray steel. He thought of the four packages he had dug up in the small sanctuary, one from under the feet of each goddess:

_ The first was a golden chest, released from under the feet of a statue he could only guess was Hylia. She stood twice his height, arms raised above her head and hands wrapped around a golden sphere. Her stony visage held very little detail, save for her face and the carvings at the base; the rest of her formed two opposing drop-shapes, one rising from the ground and the other falling, hollowed out save for her head and the sphere. There was a red cloth draped over her arms, much like the infinite scroll that Amaterasu wore. _

_ Din, Farore, and Nayru looked much the same, but instead of a golden stone, they were carved out of what looked like a red coral, malachite, and blue marble (respectively). Their orbs were brilliant, massive gemstones, and beneath each statue Link found more chests. _

_ He filled the holes in as best he could, then ran the chests one by one to his home, being careful not to alert Midna (who had taken up residence in an empty guest-house near Yoshpet's entrance) or Oki (who patrolled at night). _

Shaking his head, Link approached the package from beneath Hylia's feet (he had found that each chest was lined with precious stones matching the color of the associated goddess), and knelt in front of it for what could've been the hundredth time since acquiring it. He reached toward the latch, then… stopped. For some reason, he could not bring himself to open the box and discover what his ancestor had left for him. He had been able to open Farore's box without hesitation, and the baton, hourglass, and sword (none of which should have been able to fit) that had been contained within now sat next to his bed, to be meditated on before he slept again. Din's box had been opened with some hesitation, and its contents now made the sword whose grip would only fit his hand (the steel for the others had come from Sei-an City). Nayru's box sat next to Hylia's, unopened and beckoning.

Link drew the blue-encrusted chest to himself, and took in a steadying breath. On the exhale, he slid open the latch and flipped the lid open.

Cushioned on a red knit fabric, two masks grimaced up at him. One looked similar to an ancient race known as the Deku, that had been wiped out long ago by some unknown force; the other mask resembled some Zoran artifacts from a Hyrule that was two-hundred years past. Link bit his lip, closing his eyes for a moment and listening.

_ Where is the boy?! The hero of Time?! _ One voice squeaked, its fear almost tangible.

_ Calm yourself. It has been too long, friend. This new one is our old friend's descendant, the Hero of Twilight. The day that the boy feared would come must be nigh, else he would not have guided this one to us. _ Another, calmer voice soothed; Link swore he could hear the burbles that marked the Zoran accent. Smiling, he lifted each of the masks out of the box, noting the outline of two others beneath the red fabric.

 

Four masks grimaced at him, three of which depicted ancient forms of the modern races. The fourth disturbed him; its angry visage scowled at him from behind empty eyeholes, and its pale tone and brilliant red and blue markings distinguishing it from any race he'd ever seen, save perhaps some ancient cult of humans or hylians.

**_His name is forgotten, even to me; the only title he has is Oni._ **

Link's head snapped up, causing him a twinge of pain even as he scanned his home for the source of the voice. His eyes were caught by the brilliant color of the scarf, and he swore he could see the echo of golden runes stitched into it. He picked up the crimson article.

**_Be wary of using him, Link. His soul is full of rage; he was cast down from the heavens before the beginning, and the last traces of his life he used to seal a monster and begin the drum of time._ **

The Spirit's voice echoed in Link's mind; he shivered, and the runes faded with the last trace of the warning.

A vision swam across his eyes, of a man perhaps three years older than him dying upon a stone with his own blade through his stomach; a blue scarf wrapped around his neck, stained red by his blood. Looking beyond, Link saw a weeping woman - _ the Goddess _ \- raising herself and the last living humans and hylians on an island, rising up above the clouds. The dying man - _ the First Hero _ \- smiled weakly, sadly, as they vanished from sight, and the vision faded.

**_The scarf was given to me by my father, and to him by his father before; however, the blessings woven into it have not faded with time. While you wear it, you may pass through the realms as though you'd been born doing so, and not even the realm of Shadow may force you to take any form you do not wish to. And should you have need of me, I will speak to you so long as you have it near. I fear the method Time spoke of cannot reach as far into the past as it must to find me; though it can reach across timelines, it seems even his magic has limits._ **

Link smiled at that, taking the end of the scarf and rubbing it between his forefinger and thumb; the material felt more akin to something like silk or some other delicate, rich fabric, not the knit cloth it appeared to be. He shook his head, setting it and the masks aside.

He blinked, and the gold-inlaid chest sat touching his knees with one latch undone. Link's heart started pounding; he could feel a powerful magic pulsing from within the box, one like no power he'd ever encountered before.

He opened the other latch, and felt a wave of magic pulse over him. A glowing…  _ fluff _ sat nestled in white velvet, pulsing with soft white light.

A new voice echoed in his mind, one that echoed with the same bells that chased Amaterasu.

_ Listen to me, my child. I am the Goddess, Hylia, matron of Hyrule and her Triforce Goddesses, and sister of the Forgotten One. This is a seed of my power, which I now give to you. I see that you are, indeed, wise and powerful and brave enough to use it for good. You alone hold the ability to restore Hyrule to what it once was, to restore the lost ones and justly rule. Take it now, my son. Take this gift, and return your home to what it was meant to be! _

The light pulsed brightly, and Link felt his left hand  _ burn _ as the orb bound itself to him.

For the third time, much to his chagrin, he blacked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes Link just got the power to reshape Hyrule with a whim (once he's removed the dragon, of course!), no he's no gonna turn evil and NO he isn't gonna keep that power. That's too much for one mortal to have, even with all the wisdom, courage, and power that the Triforce gives.
> 
>  **ONE MORE THING:**  
>  The description of the statues is meant to be reminiscent of the pagan Goddess, as pictured here:  
> 


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solitude is not conducive to fighting a war. Apparently, no one taught our hero this lesson.

Carefully, quietly, Link crept from Yoshpet as dawn broke. The only hint of color on him was the crimson scarf, which he had spent weeks learning to use (with the guidance of the First Hero); even the scarf was mostly hidden beneath a great brown cloak woven of straw. Wearing that and a dark hood, he had slipped from his home and out the back-side of Yoshpet. Something in his soul refused to let him trust the others to help this time.

The ice that he had fallen through (gods, was it already more than a year ago?) had melted with the spring eruptions, and the only other means of returning to Hyrule was by ship.

The only way to obtain a ship was through Sei-an City.

* * *

 

He had travelled with Oki in the autumn of the previous year, to barter for spices and supplies that could not be obtained in Kamui. The path generally remained closed-off, but Link knew the secrets to opening the way. Every Onia did, should the unthinkable happen and they had to flee from Kamui. Now, Link pried open the massive stone door, praying to whichever deities would hear that no-one would hear the commotion and come searching. Once the door was open (without the ear-piercing creaks no less!), the Hylian ducked down the barely-lit path and pulled it closed behind him.

The underground tunnel was longer than he remembered, but no matter. When the warmth grew to be too much he forsook the stiff cloak, revealing a large low-slung pack which he then hiked up onto his shoulders. His Onia mask hung on his hip, while the others hung on the sides of the pack where they would not be broken. His sword was tucked between the bag and his shoulders, and the swords he'd made for others were wrapped tightly and bundled in the bag.

Link scratched at the stubbly beard on his jaw, debating whether to grow it out or trim it off. It would help in hiding his identity once he reached Hyrule, but it did him no good in Nippon.

He would even it out, he decided, once he reached Kusa Village. He had decided before he left Kamui, that he would not enter Kamiki village. Like as not, Amaterasu maintained a form of home there.

* * *

 

He'd gotten about halfway through Agata forest when he felt Amaterasu's approach; he'd found that a sense of calm always preceded her.

The scarf was light and brilliant on his shoulders, as color slipped away from the world and the sky was filled with an amber cloud. The Twilight was more haunting than he remembered, but it was familiar. The realm of shadow was unnerving, to say the least; he wouldn't enter that world unless he had no other choice.

Without another thought, Link quickly crossed the forest (short-cutting across the islands and hoping that Amaterasu and whoever was with her did a thorough search, giving him more time to slip by.

He wasn't surprised that Midna was with the sun-goddess, though he'd had to be extremely sneaky to pass her hawk's-gaze. Kusa Village was out of the question, better to move on to either Sasa (if he could find it) or on to the city.

 

Sasa Sanctuary truly was an interesting place. The Sparrow family was kind, the bamboo forest was oddly peaceful; it would be easy enough to let days and years slip by. But, Link didn't have that kind of time. He enjoyed the meal, tried to even out his short beard, got fed up with it and cut away the rough stubble. After that and a soothing dip in the hot spring, he slept.

The next morning found him paying for his room, thanking the family profusely, and setting off (carefully avoiding an oddly-observant man with a birdlike helm as he did so). He slid into the twilight once he'd left the archway, loping away towards the coast. The joyous lack of twilit creatures was not lost on him; however, the odd golden runes that drifted down like snow were a little disorienting.

 

He hear a yell, and bolted. He knew he couldn't outrun Amaterasu, but he was faster than Midna now. With a touch of will, the world went dark around him, deep purples and disconcerting shadows wrapping around him like a blanket. The human parts of him knew he should trust those who wanted to help him, but… the beast in his soul refused to grant second chances or even first chances, not when he'd been so nearly killed before.

He raced onward, past the old temple and in through the gates of Sei-an. There, he slipped back into the world of light in an area where he would pass unnoticed, and inquired from a guard as to where he could acquire passage to the land of Hyrule.

"It'll take some time to get a ship, unless you're looking to hire one yourself. What with the war and all, we can't get anything through to them." The archer shrugged. Link bit his lip for a moment, thinking.

**_They will harm! No one can be trus-_ **

_ Enough. I cannot take on an entire army alone, nor can i pilot a ship by myself. _

"Very well. Thank you for your help." He nodded to the guard, then turned to walk further into the city.

_ I will speak to the Emperor, if I am permitted to see him. Perhaps I can ask for soldiers to aid… no. No, that is foolish. This land has its own concerns. _ Link shook his head, turning to enter the inn.

* * *

* * *

He found a captain who would sail to the eastern edge of Hyrule easily enough; the time it would take was more than enough to grow out a proper beard, and-

"You thought to leave without a goodbye, my friend?"

Link was on his feet with his sword out before he registered the familiar voice. Forcing the adrenaline out of his head, he glared at Waka.

"This is something I have to do on my own. You and the others are needed here, and… misguided though it may be I cannot bring myself to trust anyone more than I have to." Link growled. Waka chuckled - _ chuckled! _ \- and shook his head.

"My friend… what you fail to comprehend is that this affects more than just you and your people. When Hyrule has been bled dry, where do you think the monster that has overtaken your queen will turn? Nippon is known for her peacefulness and prosperity.The Emperor does not maintain a standing army in peacetime; we would be blindsided and destroyed." Waka lowered his voice, then, tilting his head forward and gaining an ominous look in his eyes. "Without us, Amaterasu and the other gods would wither and die. And, though you mean well, I cannot let you doom yourself and us. I have a flying ship. Amaterasu will be in possession of the vast majority of her power, even in Hyrule. Oki refused to remain in Kamui, much to our chagrin; the Onia may need their best swordsman in the coming months. Midna, of course, will be coming with us. And you, my friend, will either come with us, or meet us there. We will be going whether you ride with us or not."

Link felt his hackles rise, and bit his tongue.

"I need to get to the western desert. There is a tribe there, known as the Gerudo or Shadow-folk. They used to guard the royal family; they should be good allies in restoring Zelda to herself." He mumbled. Waka gave him a disconcertingly perceptive look.

"So, you believe the princess-"

"Queen." Link interrupted.

"Queen, then. You believe she is possessed? Waka asked.

"Replaced. Her eyes were not her own, and the way she moved was disjointed when last I saw her. Either she's become a living puppet, or she's been trapped and there's a false copy in her place. When I knew her before, she was too strong willed to be possessed by anything less than another triforce-wielder. Another individual who was blessed by the gods." He explained, seeing Waka's confused look.

"So much to do for one lonely soul." the prophet mused. Link growled at him.

"I don't have a choice in letting you help, do I?" He asked, trying not to snarl.

"One would think it wounds your pride to stoop so low; no, you don't." Waka responded curtly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, he isn't infallible. Pride and old memories have been keeping Link from trusting people any more than he had to; and yes, there are places where Amaterasu and even Midna cannot look.  
> As for the why: think about it. If you beat a dog enough, that dog is going to shy away from you. I can only imagine that that would be magnified with a wolf who is used to living alone.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Insight is gained and progress is made.  
> Do not poke the angry Queen. She bites!

Link paced the decks of a floating ship halfway between Nippon and Hyrule a week later; he was musing on Waka's words.

_ Is it truly pride that afflicts me? _

He could almost swear he saw his teacher looming behind him. He sat back, letting a meditative trance overtake him so he might hear what Time had to say.

 

_ "You act as if all of humanity has brought you harm, my boy. I did not know that our beast-selves were so quickly turned." The older hero mused. Link bit his lip, unsure how to respond. _

_ "It would have me trust no one with anything." the younger hero murmured. Time nodded, a sagelike expression on his face. _

_ "Your human and bestial personalities have fallen out of sync. And yes, they are separate; one is your instinct, your will and drive to survive at all cost. The other, of course, is your humanity, your focus, your reason, your compassion." He explained. Link nodded. _

_ "The wolf claims no human can be trusted… why?" Link asked. Time sighed. _

_ "If I recall correctly, Zelda was the first to acknowledge that you were still human. She was the first to treat you with gentleness after the first shock of your wolf's awakening. The Twilit queen, Midna… she was blunt, sometimes to your detriment. The wolf accepted that was Midna's way, but being confronted with the twisted creature that has become Zelda, after knowing how gentle she had been… It broke something important. Zelda was the first person that both halves of you trusted explicitly. To have that trust so explicitly broken… for the wolf, it's like being beaten within an inch of life, then being abandoned." Time shook his head. "Such wounds are not so easily healed, I fear." _

_ "The prophet, Waka. He said I act as though accepting help wounds my pride. I didn't know I had any pride left." Link prompted, hoping for answers. _

_ "It is human to have some shred of pride, my son. Mix it with fear, and it becomes a powerful obstacle. My only suggestion is to weigh your actions carefully as you make them. Perhaps that will restore some reason to your wolf, as well." _

Link yawned, coming out of the trance; he heard a last chuckle as an overwhelming need for sleep dropped on him like a heavy, warm blanket. Rising, he made his way to the bed that had been laid out for him, then fell onto it gratefully.

 

He rose some time later, and found night dancing above the deck of the ship. Waka was draped over the wheel, and the sky had given way to a sea of stars; Link glanced behind them, and saw a glimmering island in the distance.

"Feeling better?" A familiar voice bubbled.

"As much as I can… trying to restore sanity to a portion of myself that won't listen." He responded softly. "Who did you end up choosing as king?"

"The only one who has ever shown some semblance of being my equal. Surprisingly, Zant is much calmer and saner when his mind is not muddied with darkness and powerlust. He paid dearly for his crimes, but he is doing well and knows what fate is in store if he tried to usurp me again." Midna responded, draping herself over the edge of the Ark. "Your wolf won't listen?"

"No… apparently being forced to see Zelda's corruption firsthand was too much for him. He was fine before, even when the war broke out." Link shook his head. "Moblin raids aren't the same as seeing someone you trusted so twisted as she has become."

"Corruption? Link… You've seen Zelda as she has become. I watched her warp into a monster from my scrying mirrors. She may be a puppet, but she's still herself and she's still the one on the throne." Midna scolded. Link shook his head.

_ Mirror… Mirror of shadows… _ Someone whispered from the depths of his mind. He saw a flash, of a mirror leading to a prison cell in the shadow world.

"...Do you know anything about the Mirror of Shadows?" He asked. Midna shot him a shocked and indignant glare.

"How do you know about that!? No-one knows about that, save the Twilit rulers!" She hissed.

"Just… I heard mention of it somewhere. Why? Is it dangerous?" He pressed, carefully keeping his gaze straight out into the starlit sea.

"It can release a mortal's shadow from the Dark World. It was lost to us some time ago. There are tales of its demise in the mortal world, supposedly by the shadow of the Hero of the Four-Sword, but that is impossible. If it is broken, it will reform elsewhere." Midna grumbled.

"So… perhaps Zelda has the mirror, and she has been replaced by her shadow." Link concluded. He heard the Twilit queen rumble unhappily next to him, and instinctively ducked away; a surge of energy bubbled above him, as the area he had been in burst into sparks. Above, Waka startled awake.

"We're under attack?!" The prophet queried, alarmed.

"No, sir. Just an angry Twili." Link responded. Midna harrumphed from her spot at the edge of the ship, and Waka visibly deflated in relief.

"Please don't anger her again, if you can help it. Another burst of energy like that and we'll crash back into the mortal plane." The prophet chided. Link nodded, turning and meandering back down to his room.


	11. Inu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was missing, oops

The Gerudo Desert was hotter than Link remembered; of course, he'd just spent several years within a frozen (or near-freezing) tundra. He stood still on the sands for a moment, soaking in the heat and trying to adapt in the space of a few minutes, instead of the weeks he knew it would take.

A flash of black and color rippled into existence in his peripheral vision, then vanished again. Without thinking, Link shifted into the Twilight Realm.

A massive force hit him in the stomach, driving him back against the Yamato. A friendly whine and a massive,  _ cold _ tongue against his chest and face made Link rethink trying to access his sword; he shoved whatever-it-was back, trying to get a good look at it-

And froze. A huge creature that looked like a fu-dog wagged its pouf of a tail at him, markings and tongue all aglow in an eerie green color he'd never seen on a twili before. Its eyes were the oddest part; they were completely white, and if it had been a mortal creature Link would've sworn it were blind.

"Um…ok. Sit." Link said. The dog sat quite happily, tilting its (his?) head and panting at him.

"Ok…" Link glanced around, and saw Midna staring straight at them. "Stay. Good, uh, puppy. I'll be right back." He shifted back into the mortal realm, and returned Midna's glare with a confused and accusing stare.

"What in Yunigami's name happened to my ship?! There's a dent there now what happened that'll take  _ weeks _ to fix!!!" Waka shrieked off to the side. Amaterasu sighed, pacing over to calm the shrieking prophet down.

"Midna, why is there a lion-dog here?" Link growled softly. Midna shrugged, eyes narrowed.

"Why are you able to shift into  _ my _ realm without aide?" She hissed in reply.

"It was a gift from… an old friend. Now, the dog?" He pressed. The Twili shifted uncomfortably.

" _ Midna _ …" Link growled warningly.

"It was… odd. The beast showed up about a week after you left, according to my watchers. They thought you'd come back with a work-around, but, well. It's been pacing the countryside ever since, almost like it were waiting on something. I suppose it was waiting on you." She conceded.

Link glanced over at where he'd had the beast sit.

_ Why would it be waiting on me? _

\---

The beast (which Midna had taken to calling "Fluff") proved its worth in the following weeks; it knew the location of several oases, keeping the party from having to search for water, and it seemingly needed no sleep. Amaterasu commented several times on Link's ability to locate resources; Oki would give him an odd look when he said they needed no watch.

Link knew he needed to tell them about the pup, but he didn't know how. Amaterasu wouldn't be able to see the great beast; Waka's ability was doubtful, and like as not Oki wouldn't believe his eyes.

"Midna, is there some way to temporarily shift… ehh… Fluff into this realm?" He stumbled over the name - _ Such a creature doesn't need to be named Fluff! _ \- as he asked. Midna side-eyed him.

"If he wanted to be in this realm, he himself would will ask. He is conscious, after all." She commented indifferently. "Also, you may want to clue our foreign friends in about your newfound talent. You vanishing in the middle of everything might not go over well, particularly with the goddess."

"They already know." Link said easily, slipping on the lie like a well-worn glove; he left it at that, wandering away and slipping quietly into the shadows before the queen could call him on it.

Much to his chagrin, the dog followed him.

\---

He took to scouting ahead, searching for any clue of the wandering tribe. The dog (He took to calling it  _ Inu _ because gods only knew it was more than than fluff) would often chuff at him, almost as though it were asking him to follow. 

He never did.

Until he found what was left of the Gerudo.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last Chapter time!  
> Link finds a ruin in which all timelines converge, all is nothing and nothing is true. To face that which he knows he must, he has to leave everything behind.  
> But, what hero may face his own demons without trusty sword or mighty shield?  
> None.

In the next oasis, they found a graveyard, surrounded by the tatters of a camp that could be no more than two weeks old. Already, though, the names had worn off the marble-like stones, if there had been names at all. There were dozens, perhaps over a hundred, pale white markers, some smaller, some larger.

The Gerudo were no more.

Link heard Inu whining softly in the twilight. He felt like whining himself, were he honest. The Gerudo had known more about demons and dark ones than anyone else. Perhaps that was why they'd been wiped out.

He watched with a sinking heart as Amaterasu and Waka walked among the graves, blessing and releasing the souls of those who were buried without ceremony and without names. Oki stood to the side, singing an ancient Onia verse that was meant to bless the dead and aid them in passing on. Midna stood off to his right, eyes staring a thousand miles off. Perhaps she was ordering her people to aid those who had fallen without cause. Link didn't know.

What he did know, was that Inu had taken him by the arm and was dragging him away, quite literally, towards what looked to be empty desert.

He growled at the fu-dog, shapeshifting into his wolf form and following the beast with a frustrated bark.

\---

What Inu had been trying to pull him to was not, in fact, empty desert.

A great ruin stood before him, a massive city that had long been forgotten by humanity, and perhaps even by time itself. Inu did not have to urge him onward, now. He felt something in his soul, something deeper even than his gods-given courage, guiding him.

Before he could realize, he stood in the sun-baked remnants of an antechamber. Inu was at his flank, a silent observer.

Around the atrium, there were seven pedestals and seven chests atop them. Link could… almost  _ feel _ what needed to be in them, what he needed to do.

"But what about the queen? Don't I need these things to save her, to save Hyrule?" He asked, not sure who would answer.

_ "The time is not right, hero. All the pieces are not yet in play. Should you not leave your possessions here, they will fall into the hands of your enemy, as fate dictates you must." _

The response was gravelly, like two great stones rubbing together.

"What if I stay here, though? I don't wish to be their captive again, nor do I wish for the others to be caught. What am I to do, run off into the middle of the night with no warning and no explanation?"

_ "You've already done that, though. You will know what to do when the time comes." _

Inu whuffed at him, before walking back to the chamber's entrance and sitting on a low-slung pedestal, placing its - _ her _ \- paw atop the belly of the stone cub that lay on it. Her mate nodded at Link, lightly kneading the ball beneath his paw and giving him an unspoken promise.

Whatever he left here would remain undisturbed even if time itself shattered. Not even Hylia herself would be able to disturb the ruin.

Without a second thought, Link took off his pack. First to be placed in a chest were three of the masks, the embodiment of three souls which his ancestor, his teacher, had acquired and put to rest, as much as was possible in a world no-one would ever again see. Something within his gut said to keep Oni with him.

Next was the ancient hero of Sky's sword, a blessed blade that was in itself a soul, a living being. It was laid in a long, thin chest that was obviously meant solely for it; Link swore he heard a sad sound, like a long sigh being released from a sorrowful child, but there was no one else within the chamber.

The next item to be placed was the baton, the gift of the Wind Waker. He had not spent much time with it, fearing that his own inexperience would only lead to misfortune, but even as he put the ash wand in its marble coffin, he saw a normally laughing child nod at him sadly, before fading.

The next chest was another sword-box, this one with a carving matching Link's own sword in its base. Slowly, he unsheathed the shimmering blade, laying it in the box with a great amount of hesitation. What felt like approval coursed through him from the sword for a moment, before it returned to simple cold steel.

The next chest was not empty. In it was a shard of a mirror, through which Link saw sad red eyes reflecting his own. He had the jarring feeling of being only a quarter of himself, facing his shadow after realizing its loneliness. But, when he blinked, only his own silvery-blue eyes stared back at him.

All of the other chests were occupied, save the last.

Link did not wish to separate from the scarf, from the power he had grown so used to having or the wielder whose advice and stories had so nearly brought back his hope, his faith in his companions.

_ You need to remember how to stand on your own, pup. We will watch over you, though you do not see or hear us. The scarf is blessed, yes, but the power comes from within you. This is what you are meant to learn, what each of us had to learn. _

Chastised, he unwrapped the mantle from his waist, where it had rested since they crossed into Hyrule. The crimson knit nestled into the box easily. Link sighed, almost turning away toward the door.

On impulse, he left his own mask atop the scarf, closing the lid on both and feeling suddenly empty.

\---

Upon exiting the temple (was it a temple?), Link felt watched. The shadows and twilight had been left behind in the great chamber, and as he stood beneath the burning sun he felt very much exposed.

Oni itched at his hip. Impulsively, he slid the cold porcelain onto his face, surprised at the comfort with which it seated against his nose, his cheekbones, and his eyes.

**_See as I see, mortal. You are not alone, nor are you safe._ **

The pain was blinding, yet swift. Link blinked, finding himself in a plane similar yet impossibly different from Nippon's spirit world. He saw many realities at once, saw danger and safety both approaching a terrifying speed, saw past and future converging on him in the present.

The mask shattered against his face as what felt like cold steel snapped onto his neck, choking him, binding him.

All went black one final time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS STORY IS FINISHED!  
> FINITO!  
> DONE!  
> DEAD!  
> Ok maybe not dead. This morphed into a series on me.  
> Next story will be up and running soon.


End file.
